County profile · California
San Luis Obispo County, CA market data
How San Luis Obispo County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 282,367
- 0.0% since 2020
- Households
- 109,503
- Median household income
- $97,446
- +32.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $824,700
- Jobs located here
- 112,621
- Highest market score
- 77
- Funeral homes, #100 of 1,472 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in San Luis Obispo County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of San Luis Obispo County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
San Luis Obispo County has an estimated 282,367 people and 109,503 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of San Luis Obispo County held about level, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in San Luis Obispo County is $97,446, 21% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 32.6%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in San Luis Obispo County runs highest on child care and other personal services (an index of 144, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (98).
Of the business types scored in San Luis Obispo County, funeral homes (77), convenience stores (77) and gas stations (72) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For funeral homes, that ranks #100 of 1,472 scored counties.
San Luis Obispo County is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pet stores (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for roofing and gutter companies (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in San Luis Obispo County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares San Luis Obispo County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral homes | 77 | #100 of 1,472 | 12 | 1.1 | $1.5M | 226 | 11 |
| Convenience stores | 77 | #243 of 2,261 | 60 | 5.5 | $11.8M | 150 | 19 |
| Gas stations | 72 | #335 of 2,358 | 91 | 8.3 | $3.6M | 149 | 79 |
| Barbershops | 70 | #242 of 1,356 | 53 | 4.8 | $2.3M | 123 | 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 69 | #254 of 1,451 | 44 | 4.0 | $3M | 118 | 16 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #296 of 1,530 | 34 | 3.1 | $3.9M | 154 | 19 |
| Home inspectors | 68 | #69 of 415 | 5 | 0.5 | Index only | 163 | 6 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 63 | #361 of 1,327 | 30 | 2.7 | $4.4M | 142 | 36 |
| Auto repair and car care | 63 | #615 of 2,401 | 394 | 36.0 | $333K | 124 | 173 |
| Roofing and gutters | 62 | #315 of 1,177 | 18 | 1.6 | $19.1M | 226 | 32 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 62 | #321 of 1,334 | 57 | 5.2 | $2.6M | 129 | 36 |
| Hair salons | 62 | #607 of 2,339 | 267 | 24.4 | $460K | 107 | 39 |
| Auto repair shops | 61 | #689 of 2,378 | 245 | 22.4 | $535K | 120 | 124 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 59 | #508 of 1,461 | 47 | 4.3 | $2.6M | 102 | 29 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 58 | #865 of 2,402 | 213 | 19.5 | $3.3M | 98 | 81 |
| Child care and preschools | 57 | #621 of 1,611 | 75 | 6.8 | $1.2M | 122 | 102 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 56 | #201 of 479 | 10 | 0.9 | $13.1M | 95 | 9 |
| Dry cleaners | 56 | #205 of 507 | 11 | 1.0 | $20.1M | 128 | 10 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 55 | #675 of 1,707 | 65 | 5.9 | $5.3M | 111 | 121 |
| Home repair trades | 55 | #773 of 2,057 | 115 | 10.5 | $3M | 123 | 264 |
| Physical therapy | 53 | #642 of 1,422 | 60 | 5.5 | $2.6M | 109 | 48 |
| Gyms | 52 | #831 of 1,792 | 120 | 11.0 | $1.2M | 95 | 44 |
| Nail salons | 51 | #659 of 1,328 | 63 | 5.8 | $1.9M | 117 | 34 |
| Pest control | 50 | #343 of 699 | 14 | 1.3 | $11.4M | 111 | 22 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 50 | #826 of 1,656 | 66 | 6.0 | $2.4M | 133 | 341 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 50 | #1,127 of 2,222 | 151 | 13.8 | $3.2M | 106 | 294 |
| Laundromats | 49 | #395 of 785 | 23 | 2.1 | $9.6M | 77 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 48 | #1,165 of 2,088 | 231 | 21.1 | $642K | 97 | 80 |
| Electricians | 46 | #671 of 1,160 | 32 | 2.9 | $10.8M | 90 | 111 |
| Grocery stores | 46 | #1,147 of 2,070 | 89 | 8.1 | $8M | 86 | 62 |
| Pizza | 45 | #1,227 of 2,090 | 110 | 10.0 | $4.4M | 87 | 294 |
| Insurance agencies | 45 | #1,278 of 2,272 | 150 | 13.7 | $1.5M | 121 | 110 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 45 | #1,479 of 2,385 | 578 | 52.8 | $213K | 100 | 101 |
| Pet businesses | 43 | #1,392 of 2,200 | 186 | 17.0 | $658K | 75 | 105 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 42 | #883 of 1,302 | 71 | 6.5 | $2.2M | 70 | 21 |
| Spas and skin care | 42 | #1,199 of 1,769 | 183 | 16.7 | $671K | 77 | 24 |
| Veterinarians | 41 | #958 of 1,485 | 64 | 5.8 | $1.9M | 70 | 58 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 40 | #1,004 of 1,493 | 74 | 6.8 | $2.2M | 73 | 167 |
| House cleaning | 39 | #619 of 847 | 32 | 2.9 | $5M | 78 | 70 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 38 | #593 of 777 | 54 | 4.9 | $2.7M | 68 | 44 |
| Chiropractors | 38 | #1,076 of 1,490 | 95 | 8.7 | $1.6M | 69 | 47 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 36 | #1,376 of 1,771 | 120 | 11.0 | $1.3M | 79 | 259 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 34 | #1,932 of 2,394 | 1,030 | 94.1 | $152K | 100 | 628 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 33 | #1,626 of 2,087 | 231 | 21.1 | $959K | 75 | 121 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 33 | #1,765 of 2,210 | 314 | 28.7 | $705K | 80 | 137 |
| Pet stores | 32 | #756 of 974 | 45 | 4.1 | $2.7M | 60 | 18 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 32 | #1,976 of 2,176 | 519 | 47.4 | Index only | 76 | 180 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 32 | #1,978 of 2,405 | 895 | 81.7 | $544K | 82 | 351 |
| Property management | 31 | #777 of 910 | 65 | 5.9 | Index only | 59 | 105 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 31 | #1,621 of 1,886 | 182 | 16.6 | $860K | 87 | 154 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 30 | #784 of 887 | 89 | 8.1 | Index only | 62 | 39 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 30 | #1,621 of 1,889 | 165 | 15.1 | $3M | 71 | 144 |
| Real estate | 30 | #2,077 of 2,229 | 678 | 61.9 | Index only | 73 | 357 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 29 | #1,795 of 2,063 | 227 | 20.7 | $2.1M | 58 | 128 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 27 | #2,141 of 2,405 | 2,190 | 200.0 | $222K | 60 | 775 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.4 | $39.1M | 159 | 17 |
Household spending in San Luis Obispo County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $131.1M | $1,197 | 125 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $323.9M | $2,958 | 114 |
| Food away from home | $486.8M | $4,446 | 109 |
| Groceries | $707.9M | $6,465 | 102 |
| Personal care products and services | $122.8M | $1,122 | 112 |
| Child care and other personal services | $91.3M | $834 | 144 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $148.2M | $1,354 | 138 |
| Medical and dental services | $156.6M | $1,430 | 111 |
| Pets | $122.3M | $1,117 | 123 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $221.5M | $2,023 | 98 |
| Vehicle insurance | $227.2M | $2,075 | 106 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $344.1M | $3,143 | 104 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $159.2M | $1,454 | 103 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2.1B | $19,548 | 117 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in San Luis Obispo County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 282,3670.0% since 2020
- Households
- 109,503
- Median age
- 42.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 62%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 3,301 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 85
- Median household income
- $97,446+32.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $132,001
- Median home value
- $824,700
- Jobs located here
- 112,621
- Daytime population
- 276,085Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in San Luis Obispo County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of San Luis Obispo County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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Questions
How fast is San Luis Obispo County, CA growing?
Population estimates put San Luis Obispo County at 282,367 people in 2025, unchanged since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 109,503 households. Median household income rose 32.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in San Luis Obispo County, CA spend?
Households in San Luis Obispo County spend about $2.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $707.9M on groceries and $486.8M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in San Luis Obispo County spend the most on child care and other personal services (an index of 144, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (98).
Which business types have the highest market scores in San Luis Obispo County, CA?
The highest Groundwork market scores in San Luis Obispo County are for funeral homes (77), convenience stores (77) and gas stations (72). San Luis Obispo County ranks #100 of 1,472 scored counties for funeral homes.
How does San Luis Obispo County, CA compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in San Luis Obispo County is $97,446 a year, 21% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population held level from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $824,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, San Luis Obispo County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pet stores (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for roofing and gutter companies (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in San Luis Obispo County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in San Luis Obispo County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in San Luis Obispo County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of San Luis Obispo County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.